This invention relates generally to the power required to cool computer rooms, and more particularly, to a method of determining optimal air conditioner control.
Known computer rooms generally include computer systems and components, such as servers, that generate heat. Because heat generated by the computer systems may cause the computer room's temperature to increase beyond a desirable range, air conditioning units are generally used to cool computer rooms to within the desired temperature range.
Computer room air conditioners (CRAC) generally include coiled pipes and fans. During operation, chilled water from a container located outside of the computer room is circulated though a cooling system and into the coiled pipes. The air conditioning units operate by using the fans to blow air around the coiled pipes and into the computer room. Because the temperature of the chilled water is constant, the power required to cool the computer room may be adjusted by changing the amount of chilled water circulated through the coiled pipes, or adjusting the rate of the fan.
At least one known approach for controlling the amount of power required by air conditioners to cool computer rooms includes measuring the power output load of the air conditioners and power consumption of the servers. However, because known approaches do not power the air conditioners efficiently, additional costs are incurred in cooling the computer rooms.